Very popular as a low-maintenance shade grass, Inland sea oats is notable for its large, graceful seedheads. Sending up blue-green basal leaves in earliest spring, it can be 2 feet tall and a vivid green by May, with translucent green seedheads swaying in the breeze. By mid-summer, the seeds will have turned an attractive ivory and will turn brown in a few months before dropping off. It passes through most of winter a soft brown, but becomes tattered and gray by February, a good time to cut it back to the basal rosette. It reseeds easily and can expand aggressively within a couple of years, making a solid mat in moist loams. It has been used to prevent soil erosion along streams. The seed stalks are attractive in flower arrangements.

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Medium Light Requirement: Part Shade , Shade Soil Moisture: Moist Soil pH: Acidic (pH<6.8) CaCO3 Tolerance: Low Soil Description: Moist sands, loams, and clays. Poorly drained okay. Conditions Comments: Avoid planting in continuous full sun, as its leaves turn yellowish without adequate shade. The more water it receives, the more tolerant it will be of intense sun, but it still prefers shade.

Propagation

Propagation Material: Root Division , Seeds Description: Propagate by seed or root division. Seed Collection: Collect seed in fall. Seed Treatment: Germinates and grows easily at any time. Commercially Avail: yesMaintenance: For a neat appearance, cut dead stalks back to the basal rosette in mid- to late winter. If leaves exceed 2 feet tall by spring and youd like to keep it shorter, cut them in half in May or June (Texas schedule). If a colony expands too aggressively, remove unwanted clumps. Very easy to transplant them.

Find Seed or Plants

Order seed of this species from Native American Seed and help support the Wildflower Center.

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